WWRY Sequel: The Show Must Go On
by neeuqfonafamai
Summary: We all know the story of how Galileo rescued Planet Mall from the ravages of GlobalSoft, but what happened to the world after that? This story tells of events 20 years later, when Planet Rock is governed by President Shagileo. But evil is still afoot!
1. Preface

Preface

2304The secret histories discovered

2306Shagileo Gigolo frees the world, aided by his chick

2307'Musical Instrument Banning Bill' officially abolished

2310Top of the Pops reinstated

2314Music Education made compulsory

2316Rock music sent into space

2318Pop passes away

2320Ownership of musical instruments made compulsory

2324'Classic Rock' cover bands flood the charts


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One: Freedom Aid

Shagileo stood on stage, mic stand in one hand. Infront of him was a crowd of millions, many more were watching from their in-home sets. On top of that several thousand would be listening over the illegal cyber-net.

By now the artist knew the ropes. Whatever happened onstage he left it all to chance. He always topped the bill, thanks to his display of bravery 20 years ago.

Had it really been that long? He guessed it had. After all, that was what they had come together to celebrate! The 20th Freedom Day!

As he sang, Shagileo looked back on the days when he had been Gazza. There he had been the love of his life, his first lady of Rock.

Back then he had been uncertain what he was living for or even his true destiny. But then he had learnt the truth and, as he turned the corner, it had all become a fairytale.

In the crowd that day would be millions of children who had never had to feel the horrors of Globalsoft. They lived in a world where false smiles were a thing of the past. Their souls painted like the wings of butterflies, they rose from the ashes to find a new dawn.

As the song finished, the stadium roared its appreciation. Scaramouche stepped forwards to take her bows alongside her life-long partner, and the stage began to empty for the next act.

As he left, Shagileo took one final look into the auditorium. The stands rose to the sky, filled not with holograms but real living people. The twin towers rose to the sky, a monument to the recent renaissance of engineering. For this was not only the 20th anniversary of freedom, but the dawn of a new Wembley.

Hardly able to believe the transformation from rubble to white splendour, President Gigolo left the stage of his dreams.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: A Beautiful Day

Shagileo awoke to the sun shining through his curtains. Outside the birds were singing and he could feel a cool breeze from the air conditioning. He glanced across to the clock- 2pm

He wondered why he had awoken so early. Usually after a concert he slept through until 4 or 5, waking only to an incoming call from Scaramouche.

Yet today something had obviously upset his sleep patterns. It couldn't have been the weather; he had moved the palace to cooler climbs years ago now.

Then he heard it, the dulcet tones of an electric guitar. The sound was emanating from next door.

He didn't knock she reflected, he never knocked. But then he didn't tend to moan either, that was one good thing. As he entered she paused, embarrassed to be heard by her father.

"Carry on" he urged, smiling gently at her.

And so, slightly nervous, she began strumming once more. It was a new song, part of one of her numerous university music projects. More relaxed than most songs nowadays, it reflected her quiet nature.

Friends said she had inherited her mother's intelligence and her father's manner. Long hair ran across her shoulder blades, with just a tiny curl (a small piece of luck from the rock gods).

Destined to become a professional guitarist like her mother, May Thunderbolt Lightning had the talent and showmanship but was much more timid when amongst friends.

People said she was a different person when she took to that stage. It was as if the spirit of rock entered her very soul and took over her mind. She sang, danced and riffed her way through the show. Until finally, she would sidle off into the night, dodging her father's press pack on the way.

As she finished playing May rose her eyes away from her fingers. She glanced at her father, who was clapping furiously from the doorway. She smiled, before crossing the room to his side.

She felt good. She felt right. And no-one, no-one was going to stop her from being the greatest rock guitarist ever.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Working Night and Day To Make a Dream Come True

It was a month later when Shagileo finally saw his wife once more. She had been off touring Planet Rock as part of the anniversary celebrations. But now she had returned to celebrate another anniversary, the anniversary of their official dedication of love.

For the past 20 years everything they had done had been for each other. They had trusted in each other and together they had shaped Planet Rock. Things had happened fast, but it had definitely been worth it.

Sometimes it almost seemed as if they were dreaming, after everything they had been through they were finally together in a perfect world.

Shagileo embraced his love, pulling her close once more. She drove him crazy and she just couldn't help it. As passion overtook him he just wished that this could happen more often.

The next morning, Shagileo gazed out from the presidential window to see the world that they had created. It all looked so beautiful, it was hard to believe that they had come so far.

Scaramouche joined him, interlocking her arm into his. She laid her cheek on his shoulder and sighed blissfully. Things couldn't get any better than this.

"Things can't get any better than this" thought the people who gathered together to hear their leader's speech. Today he was giving a lecture entitled "Believe in Yourself". Based on his latest book, it was an intimate look at the emotions behind the revolution.

"I used to think I was a loser" he said, "and all I did was bound to fail. But just look at where I am now. Sure, there were hard times. I'm not saying it's easy to climb to the top of the hill, but if you believe in yourself than you too can make it."

There followed an account of how he had made his way from Virtual High to the summits of the presidency. Those present had heard it many times before! It was a story passed down from father to son! It was told at school, in the houses of rock, in the concert halls and museums! Still, it was great to hear it from the mouth of the great man himself.

"Simply tap into the flow" he finished, "Step onstage and make a bit of a show. And remember, always believe in yourself".


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: All Right Now

Inside the great cities of Planet Rock there was no doubt and no fear. The people knew that everything would be just perfect as it always was. All they had to do was play their music and enjoy all that life had to offer.

Every afternoon the city would wake up and face the sun. They would lift their heads from their pillows and smile at everyone. Then they would make their way into the glorious world.

So many things to choose to do. You could watch a show, play a gig or simply catch up with old friends. In the museum historians were forever adding new found tales of old, helping the next generation uncover their forgotten past.

Today Ford was going to see the most important sacred artefact. It had just been moved, along with several other relics, to the museum from government offices. Part of the move to let the public see the most important histories; its instalment had been highly controversial with the church of rock.

Still, common sense and public will had finally prevailed and here it was, in all its glory. Ford could hardly wait to see the prize.

The museum was housed underground and a special escalator had been installed to reach it. Above ground stood the holy statue. Moved to this location 5 years ago now, it still pointed to the stadium of Wembley.

As Ford entered the first thing that struck him was the darkness. How the rebels had once lived down here no-body knew, but he could see how they would have been hard to find.

As he reached the bottom, light began to poor into the tunnel. Turning the corner, he saw its source- a giant lighting rig strung all across the ceiling. Dazzling, it stretched away into the distance.

The front of the museum was decorated with poster, their colours faded they stood as a memorial to days gone by. Pride of place amongst them were those showing moosicals, shows where made up stories were sung to the people. They showed animals and puppets, witches and beautiful women- on one there was even a guitar playing chick.

Next to them were the instruments which had started the revolution. Steel cans and bits of string, these remnants had been saved from the raid 20 years ago.

Further back were the more precious items, remnants of classic rock itself. Panels alongside them explained how they had been found after years of digging through soil or hidden archives. There were coins inscribed with mic stands and rock mottos, watches and tiny miniature drum kits. There were cans inscribed "Do you want to be a rock star?" and even an award trophy. Ford gazed at these treasures, mesmerised by their ancient past.

Then he saw it, the Holy Grail itself. It was surrounded by a crowd of people, ten-fold deep and all desperate for one glimpse. Ford sidled closer, trying to view the artefact itself. He craned his neck upwards, with his fingers he tried to prize the people apart. He put his eye to a tiny crack. But it was no good, he would never see it.

Giving up, he thumped to the ground. Only then did he hear the ancient song, the anthem of Planet Rock:  
_"Mama, just killed a man...."_

His head spinning, Ford thought of his lost opportunity. The cracks were showing through his positive demeanour as he wandered, forlorn, out of the museum.

But then he stopped in his tracks as he saw it. Hiding in the corner, unseen by those who swarmed around their prize, was another artefact. It was labelled "Newly found, unidentified".

Ford looked on in wonder at the silent video-tarp. It had long lost its sound, but yet it was somehow mesmerising. On the screen was a man, dressed in a t-shirt, his muscles just showing through. He was close shaven, but there were clear signs of where a beard used to be. He was spinning his microphone wildly and appeared to be singing to a crowd gathered at his feet. Then, all of a sudden, he let go of it and caught it again, singing a final silent note with what seemed to be a great intensity.

Ford felt as if he had discovered something brand new, a find which no-one else had ever seen. His cares forgotten, he stepped back into the real world once more.

Outside the world was operating much as it always had for the past 20 years. People wandered without a care in the world, ruled only by their hearts and their conscience. And love of course.

Love made the world go round. Love brought freedom. Love fulfilled dreams. Love let people stand tall and be strong. But most of all, love allowed the music of the heart to play on- the music of Rock.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: One Rainy Wish

May was having the most glorious dream. In it she saw a man sitting under a tree, sleeping peacefully. In his hand was a flower. Somehow the flower was singing to her, a beautiful song which gripped her heart so firmly she thought she would faint.

Or was it the man beneath the tree who stole her heart? His eyes were blue, a misty blue, and deep as the ocean. His hair was golden, hanging to his shoulders it danced gently in the breeze.

She sat down beside the man and he awoke. He turned to her and kissed her gently on the cheek. Then he lay down once more, resting his hands beneath his head in total bliss.

As night fell the sky was suddenly filled with a thousand stars. As the sun set over the mountains, May gazed up at the 11 moons which graced the sky with their presence.

Then the man turned, ready to whisper something into her ear. But she never heard the words.

As she woke up May wished she could tell somebody about her dream. It had never been so real for a moment. And oh, how she wished that moment could have stayed forever. Oh, how she wished that a love like that could be real. But, alas, she had still to find her love.

She was fed up of everyone telling her she had to find love. Without love, they said, true rock could never be made. Maybe it had been easier in the days of Globalsoft when love had been decided for you. How was she to find true love amidst the real world?

She cried out to the gods of rock: "Let me live", "Give me a brand new start", "All that I'm asking for is a chance to live".

But despite her cries, true love was still nowhere to be found.

The many boys she had dated had simply taken a piece of her heart, a piece of her soul. They had torn her world apart, taken control of her. Sure, she had produced great music for a while, but she didn't think this was what they meant when they said "Do it for your guy".

As May strode out into the day once more, guitar strapped to her back, she vowed that today would be the day. She was ready for love, she just hoped love was ready for her.

For a moment she thought she glimpsed him behind the street kit, the man of her dreams, But then she turned and he was gone once more.

Many men caught her eye that day, but none were quite right. So, as she went to bed once more, she was left wondering why all the world did was take.

And then there he was once more. Larger than life, he stood before her and wrapped his arms around her body. His grip was firm, but somehow comforting. It seemed to be saying, "I know it's been a hard struggle, but you can always depend on me. And if you're ever in trouble, you know where I'll be."

And then he was gone once more.

Night after night she dreamt of the man. Sometimes he would be with her, comforting her and guiding her way. Other time he would seem distant, troubled. Then he would go to whisper in her ear, but she would always awaken before the message had been totally received.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: This is not where we wanted to be

Shagileo was born to be a rock star, not a politician. At first it had been fun ruling the world- he had been able to play his music as loud as he liked whenever and wherever he wanted! The people had worshipped the ground he walked on, girls screamed and fainted when he did so much as walk by.

But now it was becoming hard. He had to think about the economy, transport, education, entertainment, health care, food, the environment and a thousand other things ontop of keeping the music alive. The pressure was really on.

Sometimes it was hard to think straight or even go with the flow. It if weren't for his advisors, Shagileo didn't know what he would do.

You see, the problem was that he was no longer convinced that his own individual way was always the right way. He thought he might be going crazy. He was advised to go to analysts and therapists, but he could never bring himself to actually attend a session.

He had his public image to defend- after all what would it look like if he was attending a shrink? Better to watch his weight and save the coppers.

Politics, shmolotics. Tics returning. No more tricks up his sleeve. Somehow it didn't provide the kicks any more. Pressure, more and more. Sometimes he just felt like screaming, "Is this where we wanted to be?"

He'd grown up, but he didn't feel free.

Somehow things had been easier when Pop had been alive. In the evening, after a long day's work, Galileo used to join his old friend for a drink. They would talk over the good times, letting out their demons to the wind.

They bonded over the shared troubles of the past, remembering the days when they had fought Globalsoft together. Those were the days when their actions had really meant something, when ever moment had counted for eternity.

And so, when the going got hard and times got tough, Pop used to shake his fist to the sky.

"Gazza" he would say, "never let a good thing die. Show them what we're made of. The world may have dragged us to the ground, but together we can drag it back up to its feet"

Shagileo had never really known what that meant, but it was a motivational speech never the less. And so, with his head held high, he would use his heart to inject some real rock 'n' roll back into his work.

"Ahhh" he sighed, "old friends in better times"

How he missed him.

Yet he mustn't look back, he had to look to the future now. Somehow he'd get by, somehow he would make this world right.

But, as he looked out of the window, Shagileo wasn't entirely sure how he could make things better. After all he was just one single human being on this huge planet. And out there were zillions of people hanging on his every word. Whatever could he do to make it right? Sometimes he didn't even think this was really where he wanted to be.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: A State of Mind

The people outside weren't really sure where they wanted to be either. They may have projected a state of confidence to each other, but inside from the moment of their liberation there had been just one thing that they had craved- happiness.

The problem was how to find it. Under Globalsoft this had been easy- Killer Queen had simply told them when they were happy. And, to make sure they really were, synthesized hyper-genetic smiling hormone pills had been circulated into their systems at crucial times. These would bring about a feeling of intense pleasure which no-one had felt since The Great Fall.

Now they had to find it on their own and no-one really knew how to get it. It was all around, but it could no longer be bought, nor taught. It wasn't even easy to define what it was.

Was it a state of grace or a state of mind? Could it be found anywhere or was it a point in space, a point in time? Could it be found in possessions or did you have to leave all that behind? The truth was that nobody knew.

__________________________________________________________________________________

One of the most popular theories, however, was that it could be found through C-lebrity. After all, everyone knew that the almighty Shagileo was happy and he was a C-lebrity.

So, an aim for many was to simply get their face on TV. They wrote their life stories and published it, secretly, on the illegal web network. Maybe someone would notice them and put them in a magazine. Then some talent scout might spot them and put them in a musical- the highest accolade anyone could reach apart from becoming a rock star.

Why, they were even writing a musical about how Shagileo came to power. It told about the fall of Killer Queen and the rise of a new power in the world of rock. It was entitled 'Rock The Cosmos'.

Through fame happiness was certain to be assured. Everyone would be individual, unique in their portrayal of the ultimate star. Then the people would love them and, together with the masses, they would create true rock n' roll.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Only a few saw the truth. Things were in disarray. The papers reported suicides on what seemed like every page. People who couldn't find their happiness.

People were leaving the ranks of The Bohemians, going their separate ways. Some turned to religion, other to drugs. Only a few found solace in the almighty music.

Those who looked upon the world in this way simply thanked the Lord that they had been saved from the eternal rat-race. Maybe their lives might turn out differently.

But who to follow in their distress? It was certain that they could no longer follow the dreamer- his visions were just that, a dream. No, his words were full of lies. But there was another rising from the ranks, an advisor who seemed to be worth paying attention to. And so they turned in his direction, anxious to see what he had to offer them.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Making a Mark From the Edge of The World

President Gigolo had a very attentive advisor. He was the man behind the scenes, the invisible man. When Shagileo was feeling low and retired to his music, he kept things ticking over. Few ever saw him, but he was talked about in secret. Rumour even had it that he really ran things, that Shagileo was just a frontman- the face of the business.

He was the sound that you just couldn't place, the movement that you just couldn't trace. He had silently brought about a movement from total state control to individual choice, a path from virtual reality to the real world. It seemed that no-one could be better to govern the future of Planet Rock. And to think of all they had been through to get there.

__________________________________________________________________________________

It hadn't exactly been an easy start to life. He'd found it hard to get attention, always on the edge of the crowd.

"Look at me" he would shout, "Hello"

But his voice had seemed to just echo away, "Hello-hello-hello-hello"

And then, one day he had been spotted. He'd risen through the ranks until power had been within his grasp.

But at the end he finally realised too late that he'd never had a real good friend- not a boy or a girl. His fall had seemed imminent.

But Craig was strong and he had clawed his way back. He may have changed in many ways, but something drove him on to make his mark from the edge of the world.

And so, gradually, he had let his flag unfurl. And Shagileo had begun to see him. He watched him, curious to see the new man developing.

If only the dreamer could have seen rights through him he might have seen the danger he was in. Craig might have left behind him the ways of Globalsoft and become a Bohemian, but his lust for power had lived on.

Now he was on President Gigolo's track, in his mind and on his back. He pushed him on, seeing right through him- his meanest thought and his darkest fear. Yet he would never be caught because he was the head of the world. They'd never get close, never take him alive.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: The Golden Key

Sensing President Gigolo's confusion, Craig took his opportunity in both hands. He called together his supporters from all over Planet Rock. It was time to tell the world how it really was.

As he waited he thought about how best to make his plans best known. He could just announce them, of that he was sure. No, he had to drip-feed it into their psychos so slowly that they would hardly realise his deception. After all, in this free world they had to choose to follow him of their own decision.

He would start by announcing a plan for the future which Shagileo was sure to approve of. It would be a motivational masterpiece, designed to convince the world that they had no real worries, that all their nightmares were no more than just that.

__________________________________________________________________________________

"Turn on the TV" he ordered his followers. They obeyed, ready to transmit their minister's words to the nation. Shagileo had agreed to this speech himself, reassured that someone was willing to help him guide the people through to fulfilment of the dream.

"Get on up outta your seats" he said, "Get yourselves to that place over the hill, where life is sweeter. No it's not a physical place, somewhere it takes energy to get to! It's a place inside your head! A place of certainty! Collect your senses and your wits! Become one with the world that is waiting for you! Grasp it with both hands and don't let go!

And you know what; those quadraphonic headphones won't do you no good there! You don't need them in the secret world of gold. Look to the light and grasp that golden key!

But what is this key you ask?! And you might as well. This key is the promise the great dreamer told us about! Why it's the very reason that rock exists! Feel it with your hear and we will travel there together my friends! Feel it with your soul and we will be free! Think about it. Happiness of the mind, happiness of the heart, happiness of the soul. You know you want it! The answer is there to see! Will you reach and grasp it Will you follow the shining star? Of course you will!"

As the camera went blank, Craig's people asked, "Did you really mean all that?"

"What do you think?" he replied.

"I think that its very likely that we never will see it!"

"Let the people get their debts, see things in black and white instead of the grey that they really are. Then we'll see what success the dreamer has with his moral teaching.

__________________________________________________________________________________

As the people turned off their TVs their minds filled with beautiful dreams. Closing their eyes in a sleep of innocence, they dreamt that they had found the golden key.

Ford saw the door as he dreamed at night. He saw the door to a secret world. In his never-never dreams all the worries of his parents were gone. There was no disease and everyone was happy.

He turned and picked an apple from the tree in his secret orchard. It tasted pure and sweet. As the juice dribbled down his chin he could think of nothing better. This was nuclear purity, the final twilight of a new dawn.


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Your World Is So Inviting

Craig was celebrating in the best way anyone on Planet Rock called, by improvising his own victory song.

"I'm on my way up" he sang,

"Can't put me down

The world is rough

But ain't gonna wait underground

I'm on my way

Gonna take this town

It's gonna be mine all mine

It's my time...."

As he sang he span round madly, doing a form of dance which had undoubtedly still not been seen for ages. His fingers pointing into thin air, he flexed his feet so that his toes touched the ground, but his heels rose towards the air. Then he slid backwards, alternating this movement between left and right foot. Each time he reached the end of a line he screamed "owwww" and spun before continuing on:

"I'm on my way

Straight to the top

I'm telling myself

They're putting my name around

Oh year

Gotta get that rhythm

I got positivism to give them

I'm on my way through

Where I'm going to

They wouldn't believe

That I'd make it, but I'm telling you

I'm on A-roll

Gonna have it all

It's gonna be fine so fine

Baby, it's all mine

I'm in control

I'm mighty bold

I'm lookin' good

I'm rulin' the neighbourhood

On My Way Up

Gonna get right with em

Got all of my life left for luvin'"

He'd reached the mirror now. Grabbing a hairbrush from the side, he raised it to his mouth. He sang the next lines as if his reflection were listening to him:

"Nobody gonna tell me no

Nobody gonna stop me so

Everybody gonna see me grow

Nobody gonna hold me down

Gonna get to a better place

They'll wake up- see my face

Gonna hold on- move on

Get the world whole

It's my life or it's nothin'

It's right or it's nothin' at all

I'm on my way up!"

__________________________________________________________________________________

Craig's plan was simple. Through his speech he had promised a secure and happy future for the nation. This future, so he had said, was based on the power of rock. After that everyone had been certain that Shagileo would provide a reliable future for them. However, Craig knew that this was not to be.

The truth was that Planet Rock was still ultimately linked with consumerism. The Bohemians had tried to bring about a revolution based on love, but the people had bought it only superficially. They liked the idea, but didn't know how to get rid of their old ways. And neither did their great leader.

Craig would show them the way all-right. When Shagileo had fallen out of public trust, Craig would rise from the ashes. And then the people would see him as a puppet of the dreamer, with great ideas but unable to carry them out. After all it had been the Bohemian leader that had really made the promises, not Shagileo himself.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Shagileo looked out at his people. They looked sad, upset even. They walked past slowly, the spring gone out of their stride. The dreamer wondered how things could have gone so wrong. He had dared to imagine something better, but in this he had been doomed. Instead of happiness, he appeared to have given them stark reality. Instead of freedom he had given them uncertainty.

There was a knock on the door. Shagileo turned, wondering who could be there. As he watched the door opened. He smiled, this visitor was most welcome. Maybe he would bring him some good words of counsel.

"Craig" he said, "what has become of my dreams?"

"Nothing, Mr President" his advisor replied, "Into every life a little rain must fall. It just seems that for your people this moment has come"

"But surely I should have done something about it?!"

"You want a clean reputation, of course. No need to let this cause you to overreact though. Be cool. There's little you can do to alter the people's opinions for the time being. There are many complications at the moment, but soon the tension will be relieved. Just hang on in there and soon every day will be full of sunshine once more.

Shagileo turned to Craig, a glimmer of hope in his eyes once more.

"Do you really think so?" he asked.

"Of course. Why, a man in your position can afford to wait. Ignore those who try to blind you with science, bully you with property and finance. You call the shots! You name the price! Just wait and see what that brings you."

"No problem"


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: This Is The Way I Lead My Life

As things became harder for Shagileo in the political world he began to find it difficult to spend time with his family. Scaramouche hardly noticed (she was always gigging most of the time anyway), but for May life was tough.

She felt isolated, alone in a world where the company of others was ever important. As life became harder her 'friends' began deserting her, conscious of who her parents were. No lovers came forward and her music began to suffer.

With her performance lacking any gusto, she started doubting her very self. She was a loser, a loner and a musical disaster. It was no wonder that nobody loved her.

Infact there was only one place that she could find love now. There was a world where she could escape, where she could be someone. It was a world of dreams.

Her father had once told her that dreams were special, they were the key to a hidden reality. Oh how she hoped this was true. Maybe the man she dreamed of was as real as the 'Scaramouche' found in his father's dreams.

He stole her heart away with his smile, that man. Mysterious and sensitive, he understood the real her. Sometimes they would just sit together, gazing into each other's eyes. Other times they would talk, or he would sing, his voice rough yet somehow soothing.

She remembered the words he had spoken to her once: "If you're ever in trouble, you know where I will be"

Well, if she was ever in trouble it was now. So she sought him out every night. And, unlike so many other dreams, he came.

__________________________________________________________________________________

The dream was different this time. Instead of standing in nature, he stood in a bar. It was a sad place, lonely and deserted. Chairs sat around empty tables. To one side was a counter on which stood a television and video.

The man moved silently to behind the counter and began cleaning the glasses behind it. She approached and sat down on the bar-stool infront of him. Then she noticed that his smile was gone. As he turned, she reached forward desperate to see it once more.

Her arm brushed against the slight stubble behind his ear and he turned to look at her. Then he leaned forwards and placed his mouth against the side of her face. He kissed her gently, slowly moving closer to her ear. She could feel his hair tickling and then his breathing came into focus.

"They're turning me upside down" he whispered, as if showing some sort of secret.

_________________________________________________________________________________

May pondered those words as she walked down the streets. It seemed to summarise everything that she felt at that moment. Her life was no longer flowing and her feelings were being tossed about like a boat on the sea.

Her brain busy, her feet took up a mind of their own. When she eventually looked up she found herself infront of the museum.

She had never been here before, it had seemed unnecessary when all her parents ever talked about was the past. Infact she had done everything within her power to avoid the place. But suddenly, for no reason at all, she felt compelled to take a look inside.

As she travelled into the underground she began to feel a pull towards her past. People didn't see the daughter of their president; she was just another girl visiting their shared history.

Many of them were clustered around a small screen from which music was being emitted. She immediately recognised it as the calling song of her father. It had meant so much to his dreams that he had set it up as the national anthem.

The song finished and the crowd shifted. A man dressed in tattered hippy gear shuffled forwards, the librarian of the museum. It was his job to keep the secret histories safe and to reflect this he wore the uniform of the first ever keeper.

He pressed a button on the front of the machine and the picture stuttered backwards. May wandered forwards until she was right infront of the screen. As he pressed the button, and the song started once more, she was in the perfect position to see the four singers. Imagine her surprise when she recognised one of them.

It was the man from her dream! In her imagination he had been ageless, shifting through the ages. Here he was young again. Long hair flowed from his shoulders, accentuating the softness of his features. The words spoke to her, was this the real life that her father had hoped for?

__________________________________________________________________________________

Words were spinning round her head now, words and phrases. It was as if the music had triggered them. She tried to reach her father, for she knew this was the way it had all started for him, but he was too busy.

And then, one night, she saw it all. It was a calling! Something was wrong! This man from the past has come to tell her to accept her destiny! She didn't know what her role in history was to be, but she had to find out!

She jumped up from her bed and packed her bag, vowing to find out the truth of what was happening in the real world. Hanging her bed coverings out the side, she climbed out of them and jumped to the ground with a thud.


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Helpless and All Alone

This was it; May was on the road now. There could be no turning back, no changing her mind. The decision was final; she would make it on her own. At least until she found somebody to love.

He had to be out there somewhere. The simple fact was that she would not find him by staying put in the old precinct. He would be out there somewhere, out in the real world of Planet Rock.

It was a place she had little chance to experience. Despite all her parents' rhetoric about living in the outside world, they had become so worried about her safety that she was practically ordered to stay close by. When she did venture outside it was for concerts or political ceremonies, so her view if the world was rather restricted. She looked forward to experiencing something new for once.

__________________________________________________________________________________

The fits thing that struck May as she left the old precinct was the buildings. Infact she wasn't even sure they were buildings. Their shining silver exteriors were rusted and crumbling. Electric doors stuttered and squealed on their moorings as she went past, attempting futily to respond to her presence.

Dispersed between these remains were generators, cracking with their long gone power. They would once have driven the great machinery of Globalsoft, all its global communication network. This had homogenised the people of Planet Mall into one unit, operating like drones.

May was glad that was all over. People have left these remnants behind and moved on with their lives. She was not at all surprised that no-one wanted to live here amongst the negative memories.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Here was the place where the real Planet Rock began. On the horizon May could just make out the housing of the masses, nestled into the countryside almost as if they were part of nature itself.

The government was currently promoting these healthy life-style choices. Not only did they provide a natural lifestyle, they were the crown of individualisation. Not only could you decide what to wear, but also what, when and what you ate, lived in and did from day to day.

Craig was particularly keen on the small-scale economies which grew up within them. Self-sufficiency was something new to Planet Mall and it seemed like a great idea. No longer would society be driven by capitalism, people would simply swap their skills and resources with others. In this way no-one would be left out, everyone would be provided for.

__________________________________________________________________________________

May was tired from her long week and so she was glad when she finally reached the settlement. Now all she had to do was find someone who would let her stay.

There were 15 houses in the town. Each of them was constructed from a mixture of scrap and natural materials. Some had tin roofs; others had walls made out of concrete slabs. In contrast to the glittering old precinct, these homes incorporated remains from the time of Globalsoft (and before). There were cake cans glittering in the door handles and fried chicken boxes provided basic mail-boxes.

May knocked on the door of the nearest house, a beautifully crafted construction with a moss roof. A muscular man opened the door. He looked at her suspiciously.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"Please sir" she replied, "I'm a stranger in these parts, looking for a bed for the night"

"What you got to offer?" he replied.

"Excuse me?"

"Can't expect to get something for nothing. Bed'll cost ya 3 baskets of berries, 2 for the barn."

"I don't have any berries!"

"Tin? Rope? Wire?"

May had none of those things.

"I can play music!" she suggested.

"So what's new?" he replied, "everyone can do that! I got my babe!"

He pointed at a woman behind him, cradling 2 screaming babies.

"Sorry to trouble you"

And with that he shut the door.

May tried the next house. It was small, but it had a perfect garden. There were vines growing up the sides and patches of mushrooms grew amongst the nettles.

But the reaction was pretty much the same.

"What have you got to barter with?" asked the woman

"Music?"

"Got that in plenty!" and she burst into song. "Could do with someone to mend my bike though"

May looked at the rusty cycle. She'd ridden one many a time, but she wouldn't know where to start to fix it.

"Sorry" she replied, and wandered off.

_________________________________________________________________________________

May was sitting next to the town well. None of the villagers seemed to want her; they were only interested if she could offer them something in return. The fact was that her skills simply weren't in demand here.

She began wondering if they'd be interested in her clothes, maybe even her instrument. But she knew simply from looking at them that they wouldn't. Her clothes were too her, these people made their own to reflect their own personalities. And even if she could part with her guitar, everyone on Planet Rock knew that they would only play properly for their true owners.

She decided that she must look elsewhere for her destiny. But it was getting dark and she would have to stay here for the night. So she lay down where she was and, clutching her guitar, got reayd for sleep.

__________________________________________________________________________________

No sooner had May drifted off to sleep then she was awoken once more. It was beginning to rain. The drop felt fierce on her forehead, cruel and sharp. They stung as they touched her skin. Then, as her clothes began to burn, she realised the worst- it was acid rain.

Grabbing her guitar, May rushed headlong searching for shelter. Her first instinct was to run towards the houses, but they had no porches, no overhangs. She ran faster now, looking for something, anything. In her panic, she hardly noticed darkness beginning to fall and soon lost her way. Then, suddenly, she bumped into something.

No not something, someone. She felt herself being grabbed, pulled across the rough ground. Things were brushing against her now, tearing at the holes in her clothes. And then the rain stopped and she realised she was outside no longer.


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: A Built in Remedy

That fateful night had taken a great toll on our young heroine. An acid rainfall was something that all Bohemians dreaded, a legacy of Globalsoft's pollution.

The original Bohemians had taken shelter underground in order to be safe from the storms. This has also had the added benefit of providing ready-made homes and preventing Killer Queen's sensors from detecting them. However, the new Bohemians rarely remembered the environmental reasons for this way of life.

Even if they had remembered their descendants would have had little choice but to have moved above-ground. There were too many of them now! As their population flourished, their numbers had increased rapidly. Soon they had run out of space in their underground homes.

And so they had moved to the surface and their original lairs had become memorials to the early movement. Their new homes were carefully designed against the elements, utilising materials which Globalsoft had used in its construction projects. But this hadn't helped May much, the girls caught out in the storm.

She had suffered many burns, dressed in her scanty old precinct clothing. Her hair was rough and frizzy; some of it had even burnt away. As for her outfit, it was ruined by holes, rips and tears. All that really remained intact was her precious guitar.

__________________________________________________________________________________

For many weeks May remained unconscious, her body shocked by the physical abuse it had taken against the elements. All this time Axl watched her closely, soothing her burns with herbs and moping her brow. He hoped that one day she would awaken and tell him of the world outside his town.

__________________________________________________________________________________

May awoke to the sight of a young slim man with jet black hair. He gazed at her, a bowl of broth in his hands. For a moment she thought she had found her love at last, but then he turned and yelled , "Marie, she's awake!"

"Give her some broth then" came the shout from the back room.

As he leant forwards to obey a lady she presumed was Marie approached. She was a lady of some size with vibrant red-dyed hair and a confident stride.

She sat down next to the man.

"Give it here" she ordered, "You're not doing it right"

The man handed over his dish and scuttled away.

Marie now turned her attention to the patient.

"You must excuse Axl" she said, "he's well meaning, but a bit slow. Never can get him to do things fast enough, sometimes it just pays off to do them yourself."

"Thankyou" May said as she gulped down the food. "I'm sorry to....."

"Not a word of it" Marie interrupted, "Not until you're better at least"


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Guaranteed to Blow Your Mind

Amy couldn't believe where she had found herself. This world was so different from what she had at the palace. She had never imagined that anyone could live the way these people did.

The people here formed clans- closed groups totally self-reliant on each other. When they needed something mended they did it themselves, if someone was ill they dealt with it using plants grown on their very own window-sills. They didn't need the world outside and they clearly didn't need her.

Marie and Axl were the only people who talked to her here. No-one was interested in her music, if she started playing people covered their ears and ran away. Once a child had stopped, gazing at her with innocent eyes, but its mother had soon snatched it away from sight.

And so May sat alone when her only friends left to do whatever it was they did during the day. And slowly she began to wonder what she had done to bring her here. Slowly she began to think that no-one cared. Slowly she began to stop caring herself. Eventually she began to wonder what the point of being was.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Marie returned one day to find her charge sitting staring into space. In her hand she clutched her guitar, but it remained unplayed. In fact what struck Marie most was the dust beginning to cover its strings.

This was the instrument which May had polished every day since her arrival, carefully placing it out of the dirt at night. For the first week she had played it insistently, its sound always filled the air. She had even begun to teach Axl how to play.

But now it laid untouched. And, come to think of it, the sound of sweet music had been absent for a while now in this house. The only remnant of it was Marie's own humming as she washed the dishes.

Marie sat down beside the young girl and carefully laid the guitar to one side. She put her arm around her and kissed her forehead. The girl gazed up and asked, "Why is the world like this? Where did it all go wrong?"

And so Marie told her.

__________________________________________________________________________________

"It was 20 years ago when they chose me to explore the new world outside of the doors. Mya body was old, but my mind was young. Like many others I had decided to start afresh and my memories of the world before that fateful day had been wiped forever. Many said such a thing was foolish, but I knew that nothing could be gained from living in the past. And so I looked to the future, a future where we could all be free.

Those that journeyed with me made up the first co-operative. We called ourselves freegans because we were free from the constraints of society. Those amongst our group had been selected so that we could meet all our needs in the brave new world. We shared our talents. Many songs were written about those days, but few are remembered now.

In those first days no-one needed for anything. Sure, times were tough- not enough was known about the outside and some lost their lives before we realised the dangers- but those who got through them become strong. We shared all we had and our society thrived.

Only there were some who shared too much, who gave away all they had. They soon found that when they had nothing to give anymore they were no longer needed. Others saw them and reasoned that giving things away destroyed you, swapping was the only way to survive. And so barter was born.

Those with practical skills soon found they had lots to offer. Many homes needed rebuilding and there was much digging to do to ensure clean water. These people flourished and soon built themselves grander and grander houses. And then, eventually, this place wasn't good enough for them anymore and they left to find another place. Many headed for the cities which no doubt welcomed them with open arms- those who had the knowledge to fix the wonders of Globalsoft,

Those of us without stayed. We became truly self-sufficient, sufficient for ourselves. Those out there survived, many others have not been so lucky. You have yet to see those whose only shelter is the rocks of the desert, whose only grasp on life is to breathe what might be their final breath."

__________________________________________________________________________________

What May heard hit her so hard that it shocked her out of her slumber. Grabbing her guitar she went to smash it against the flimsy wall...... but stopped as her hand thrashed a chord.

She stared at the instrument and then her hands began to move by themselves. It was the heaviest tune she had ever played. It flowed from her anger straight into the instrument, bypassing everything else.

Marie just stood there in amazement, gawping at the tremendous sound. The walls vibrated, sending Axl shaking into the room. Even the neighbours began to listen, shaken out of their repetitive lives.

When May eventually stopped her whole body was heaving for breath. Her fingers were bleeding and sweat poured down her clothes. Her hair was soaked and clung over her eyes.

"Now that's how you make music!" screamed Axl.


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Music Lights The Flame In Me

May had found a new reason for her music. She had realised that it wasn't just love that fuelled sweet music- it was passion. That passion didn't just have to be for a guy or a babe, it could be for just about anything. And so, with that in mind, she took in everything that she saw and the music began to flow once more.

Marie took her to see the slums. There people had lost all hope. It was true that they had little left. Cowering behind burning rocks, they survived off the few bugs that still roamed the desert plains. For water they had learnt to collect the morning dew, but many got ill from its acidic content.

May sang them her songs whilst Marie and Axl tended to their sores. She wished she could so more, but at least she brought a small amount of comfort to them. The simple smile of a child seemed to bring so much hope in this saddened world.

__________________________________________________________________________________

"Isn't there any more that can be done?" May asked as she sat with Marie and Axl one evening.

"Not unless you can work miracles my dear" Marie replied.

"Or magic water" murmured Axl.

"What was that?" May asked.

"I said not unless you can magic water" he replied.

"Well, why can't we give them water?"May demanded, rising to her full height, "After all you brought water to this town once didn't you Marie?"

"Well yes" she replied hesitantly, "but I was younger then! And there lots of us! We can't do it with only the three of us!"

"Then it won't just be the three of us" May stated, "The whole town will help!"

Once May set her mind to it things were going to happen! She marched out into the town square and demanded attention. No-one dared not listen! And then she began such a heart-felt song that none of those present could help but feel remorse for the situation. Grown men began to cry and young children stopped their play.

And them, from within the crowd, came the cry:  
"What are we waiting for? Let's start digging!"

__________________________________________________________________________________

In no time at all the slums were transformed. There was a home for each and every person. A well was set up in the new town centre and seeds were provided so that each house could have its very own small garden. Marie even started a village school to tell people how to look after what they had been given.

All through this May continued making sweet music. Soon the two villages were both filled with the sound of singing. Once again music filled the air.


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Wandering Through the Night

But May's dreams would not leave her alone. Despite her happiness during the day, at night she found her mind full of woe. He was there again, but this time she dreaded their meeting. It was as if he was nagging her, preventing her from truly being at peace.

__________________________________________________________________________________

He was in her new village, walking through the streets with her hand in hand. It was a peaceful scene. Around her children were playing and music filled the air.

But suddenly the picture changed. Now they were walking together through the old precinct. Around them the old mechanisms shuddered and thunder rolled across the sky. It began to rain and May instinctively wanted to run for cover, but the man held her back. He forced her to stand still and watch as people emerged scuttering from the shadows. They scampered like mice, desperate to get shelter amongst the wreckage.

As she turned back to look at him her gaze was forced to his pleading blue eyes. As she tried to turn away from them she saw that he was melting under the downpour. She screamed herself awake.

__________________________________________________________________________________

The next night he was with her again. This time she was back in the new precinct, watching Carig conducting the planet's business through a glass window. The silent man stood beside her. She watched as Craig put down the phone and gazed at himself in the mirror.

Craig smiled a treacherous leer and then began to fiddle around the edges of his face. Many watched in disgust as he began peeling them back, scraping at them with her fingernails, all the time still grinning.

She turned to burrow her head in the mystery man. He felt soft and comforting and for a minute she could imagine that Craig wasn't there.

He raised her chin to his blue eyes. They glanced back towards Craig and then returned to her and the pleading look returned. Then he let her go and she realised that only he had been holding her in thin air. She fell down into old precinct. As she landed she awoke with a start.


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Follow That Dream

Marie had no doubt what May's dream had meant. Whoever that man was he was calling her to return to her real home. But the child was tired and weak and needed a travelling companion. And so it was that the two women set out together for the new precinct.

May was sad as she left her new home. It was somewhere where she truly belonged, a place that she had made for herself. There she was simply May- the girl who could play. Would she ever find that within the city or would she always be the dreamer's child? Would it make any difference that she had been getting dreams of her own or would that just cement the name? Well, there was only one way to find out and that was to return.

Marie was just as scared, but she kept her fears locked up for the sake up the girl. She didn't remember life in the city, for her it might as well of never had happened. Would there be people there who would remember her? Did she have a life there which she had never known about? What was the city like anyway? What would she do without money? Come to think of it, what would either of them do when they got there?

__________________________________________________________________________________

As they crossed the old precinct that evening May was aware of eyes watching her from the darkness. This time, after her dream, she was more open to the truth. There were people who lived here, people who still lived amongst the negative memories. "Did they choose to be here?" she wondered.

Well she wasn't going to stay to find out, it was far too creepy! She forced Marie towards the gate and banged loudly for entry.

A face appeared at the window.

"Who goes there?" it demanded.

"May Gigolo" she replied.

"Who?" the guard asked, puzzled at hearing that name from the outside.

"May Gigolo!" she hissed, gazing around gingerly as she did so.

"Sorry, she's not here" the guard said and shut the window.

May slumped down infront of the door.

"What do we do now?" she demanded.

"Whatever your dreams tell us" Marie replied.

"They didn't tell me anything about getting in" Marie said, "I thought they'd open the door when they heard my name!"

"Why should they do that?" asked Marie.

__________________________________________________________________________________

It turned out there was a lot Marie didn't know about the revolution and the way Planet Rock was now run. She had been so preoccupied with surviving that she just hadn't got round to asking about them, it seemed.

And so May explained. She explained about how her father and mother (aided by Pop) had joined with the Bohemians to destroy Globalsoft. She explained about how her father had come to be their leader. She explained about how her mother was always off touring. And finally she explained about how her father looked after the masses.

"He doesn't do a very good job" Marie replied.

May found herself defending her father. He was a busy man, he had lots to do! He would never have allowed this if he knew! He was caring, kind, considerate!

Then she began wondering if he did know. She began wondering why he shouldn't know. She began wondering if something wasn't wrong. And then she decided that she had to tell him somehow. That would enable him to build a brand new morning and put things right!

If they ever got to him that was.


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Feeling Kind of Nothing

It had taken a while for Shagileo to notice that his daughter was missing. She had been wandering around the city so much recently and she often returned only after he himself had gone to sleep. So it wasn't surprising that he hadn't seen her for a bit.

But then he noticed that her bed looked unslept in. This continued for 2 nights, 3. There was no music. He searched, trying to find some sign of where she might have gone. And then he noticed that her guitar was gone.

In itself that wasn't unusual (she took it everywhere she went), but the stand was dusty. It looked as if no guitar had stood on it for a long time. And so he checked the databases. It was then that he found out she had left new precinct.

Announcements were put out, search warrants issued. Shagileo instructed Craig to send teams outside the walls to search for her. Every attempt had to be made to find his daughter!

__________________________________________________________________________________

As the search continued Shagileo became more and more depressed. He forgot about the sadness of his people and focussed only on the loss of his own heart. He had sent for his wife, but heard nothing from her and so was forced to mourn alone.

Craig did his best to keep him up to date though. Daily reports came through of the city's fortunes- wealth was on the increase. He told of people sharing on their leader's loss, but happy with their own lives. They carried on playing their music and new songs were being produced every day. Marriages were up, as were the number of children being born.

Shagileo was glad that he could trust his advisor with affairs of state in this difficult time. It was a great relief to know that the country was being run so well in his absence.

_________________________________________________________________________________

May and Marie saw no search parties that night for the simple reason that there were none. Craig had no reason to wish daughter to return to father. In fact her departure had brought him great benefits. Because of her he had been able to advance his plan quicker than he had expected. And so he was able to rule over his shoulder.

The people knew the dreamer had abandoned them now. It was clear he was more concerned with his own world than theirs. And so Craig had begun tapping in the young talent and influencing their songs. Now they once again spoke of the might of Planet Rock- a world united in the love of its leader. And gradually in the people's mind that leader had become Craig himself.

It was Craig who toured the streets and spoke of the people's plight. On the TV they saw him repairing their broken dreams. People clambered to get jobs under his leadership and private companies gave him generous gifts. He even re-opened the cyberweb to finally allow contact across the world once more.


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Call Me

When morning arrive Marie was awoken by the noise of a window being opened. She shook her friend awake at once.

"May Gigolo?" the faceless voice asked.

"Yes?!" May replied.

"Your father's expecting you!"

And with that the gate swung open.

"We're so aorry" a small man stuttered, "It's just that we didn't expect you to be out here. It's been so long"

May was too tired to be polite.

"Spare the chit-chat" she said, "Take me to my father!"

And so the guards led them away.

__________________________________________________________________________________

The crowds were surprised to see Princess May wearing tramps clothes and being escorted by 4 heavily armed guards towards the palace gates. They, along with the rest of the world, had thought she was dead. Where had she been?

The palace gates opened and then promptly shut once more, leaving the crowd to face their questions alone. May found herself bustled upstairs to the waiting room, along with Marie. There they were left alone.

"Well" asked Marie, "what now?"

"We await my father" May replied, suddenly sure of herself, "I need to tell him the truth! He'll fix things!"

__________________________________________________________________________________

But Shagileo didn't yet know of their arrival. In fact it wasn't he who had called them to the palace, but Craig. He had wanted to see the girl for himself, but by the time they had arrived he wasn't sure that was such a great idea.

He stood now in his ante-chamber, drinking Moet et Chandon and wondering what to do. As he saw it he had 3 choices:  
1) Send her back into the streets and pretend she'd never arrived

2) Let her father see her

or 3) Make sure she mysteriously vanished.

There was only one problem with 2 of these thoughts and that was that a lot of people had already seen her. That left only option 2- a choice with could mean the end of his career once Shagileo got wind of what he'd been doing. Then he realised, all he had to do was make her mysteriously disappear straight after her father had seen her. Perfect!

__________________________________________________________________________________

It had been a long wait for May and Marie, but eventually the door opened and in strode Craig.

"May darling" he exclaimed, "how good to see you again. We must....."

But then he stood dead in his tracks. His face turned pale and he began to stutter.

"GUARDS!!!!" he screamed, "GUARDS!!! HELP!!!"

His hand raised as the confused guards entered and he pointed a finger accusingly at Marie

"KILLER QUEEN!!!!!!" he exclaimed.


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Descended Upon Planet Rock

Craig couldn't believe he had just seen her again. When he had destined her to the Seven Seas of Rhye he had thought that he would never look upon her face once more- that he was finally free of her grip. How the hell had she got loose?

Then he realised- the Seven Seas had been cleared along with the rest of the remenants of Globalsoft. She would have been relocated, given a new identity and told that her memories had been wiped by choice. The question was, would she still remember him with time?

Craig couldn't risk it! He had got by so far unnoticed. With his new face not even Galileo had recognised his true identity. Necessity had forced Craig to hide amongst the billions of converts to Rhapsody. Who would have forgiven a man who had sent thousands to their demise? Who would have forgiven him, Khashoggi, former head of the Secret Police?!

__________________________________________________________________________________

May had made it easy for him. All he had to do was accuse her of colluding with Killer Queen and she would be imprisoned forever. The planet was sure to rebel when they heard the news and place him, Craig, in the presidency.

And Shagileo wouldn't even see his downfall! He would be too upset with his precious daughter to see the world falling down around him!

Craig called the current president into his office, carefully positioning his chair high enough that he would dominate the proceedings.

"Ah welcome Mr President"

"You have news of my daughter?!"

"Yes sir, I only wish it could be better"

"She's not...d..d...d...d...dead is she?"

"Oh no, far from it. But I don't quite know how to tell you this.... We found her.... colluding with the enemy!"

"The enemy?" questioned Shagileo, "We have no enemy!"

"On the contrary" Craig announced, "It seems that Killer Queen has been hiding within our very midst"

"No!!!! It can't be true!" screamed Galileo, "I saw her destroyed with my very eyes!"

"Eyes can deceive!"

There was a pause.

"We have her in the prison sir. Do you want to see?"

"No, not now! Take me to my daughter!"

__________________________________________________________________________________

May was relieved when her father finally came into the room. He rang frantically towards her and flew his arms around her in a giant embrace. She was surprised to hear sobs coming from his head, which now lay on her shoulder. She went to return the hug, but Craig's guards gestured in such a way that she wasn't sure what to do. In the end she simply sat still, hoping that he knew she loved him still.

Eventually he raised his head, revealing the tear-stained face.

"Is it true?" he sniffed

"Is what true?" she replied.

"Is it true that you brought her here?"

"Yes, but...."

But Craig interrupted, "You heard it from her own lips sir. She brought Killer Queen here!"

And with that he ordered the guards to take the child away. Craig simply collapsed onto the floor, unable to know what to make of everything.


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Slashed and Torn

May and Marie sat alone in the Globalsoft cell. Planet Rock had seen no need for prisons and so no new ones had been created, but the old had been left as it once was. The bars were rusty and there was no furniture now. A cold draught blew through the walls.

Outside Shagileo wallowed in misery. To find his only child had betrayed him and all that they had done was somehow worse than loosing life itself. He couldn't bear to look upon the world any more. In despair he shut himself away, refusing all offer of help.

Craig bided his time, making sure that everything was in place before he announced the betrayal. His timing would have to be perfect!

__________________________________________________________________________________

May knew she couldn't just stay here. After seeing the man she truly believed that Craig was a real threat! She didn't care what Marie had once been, she trusted her now! And so she planned their escape. Hooking up two spare pick-ups to the internal lighting, she blew the latch on the door.

There were no guards in site so they ran for it. They legged it out of the prison and out into the wide world.

__________________________________________________________________________________

All this suited Craig fine. After all it had been his idea to let them escape back into old precinct. From there it would be easy to eradicate them both, claiming that they were trying to escape back to a group of Globalsoft rebels. He could sort out some of the overcrowding problems at the same time then!


	23. Chapter 22

Chapter 22: The Struggle to Survive

May was surprised to find that no-one blocked their way as they headed towards her father's room. She needed to talk to him, to make him see the light!

As she burst in he spun around with shock. She could see he had been crying, but now he was speechless. She put her hand over his mouth, scared he would cry out before he'd heard her side of the story. And then they had heard them, the guards coming up the stairs. There was no time for this!

It was Marie who took the lead, ripping a strip from her torn clothing and placing it around his mouth like a gag. May soon caught on and, with no visible alternative, she dragged her father with them as they scaled their way down the outside wall.

Shagileo hung on in sheer panic, simply trying to make sure he didn't fall. He had given up his life already, so he didn't bother struggling or trying to escape. He simply followed his captors will.

Reaching street level, the couple tore off through the city with their prisoner stumbling behind them. Guards could be heard following, far off in the distance. But the crowds let them through; they didn't want to get involved.

Eventually they made it to the gate. To their amazement it was still open. Behind them someone shouted "Close the gate!", but it was too late!

__________________________________________________________________________________

Craig smiled to himself. Things had gone better than even he had expected. Now that they had captured the President in such a visible display there was no doubt that they would be branded traitors. And wouldn't it be a pity if a little accident happened whilst trying to retrieve the prisoner.


	24. Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Been Scraping My Living in the Valley of Lies

As soon as they left the confines of new precinct Shagileo was able to see what had become of his people. They poured out of the rubble, dusty and forlorn- hoping to get a glimpse of him. They had seen the dreamer once upon a time, on a TV screen or a simple poster. Every one of them knew his face!

And despite their misery they were still enamoured with the idea that he was some great and mighty being. And so they came forwards, reaching out to simply touch him.

Shagileo recoiled, unsure what to make of these masses. They were deformed and mutated by their cruel lives, some hardly recognisable as humans any more. And yet something touched him, some sorrow.

May took off his gag and gently led him by his hand through the masses. She too was scared, but something told her that here and now she must get over that. She led him through the old precinct until they reached the desert. Then, together, they made their way down to the old town.

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As Shagileo spoke to the people of the two towns he began to build up a picture of what life had become outside of new precinct. It was tough and hard, and for many there was no government but their own hard work.

And yet his daughter had helped them to build something new here. She had shown them how to work together and share in a common goal. Wasn't that truly what had bound them as Bohemians all those years ago!

And the Shagileo realised what he had been missing. Planet Rock had been so concerned with music and everyone being individuals that they had lost their ability to help each other. Everyone had become tangled up in making their own lives as perfect as possible that they had stopped caring about the way others lived. Yes love was the power behind music, but not just love for a babe- love for the world, love for a way of life and most of all the love of freedom. A freedom that they all shared! A freedom that could never truly be experienced on your own.


	25. Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Match the Intent With The Deed

It was with this that Shagileo mounted a campaign back into the city. His intention was simply to tell Craig that he had got it all wrong and then things could do back to normal, only better.

It had taken a long time for Shagileo to trust "Marie" as she now called herself. But the way the woman acted just wasn't in keeping with what he expected of Killer Queen. This, and the trust of his daughter, had gone some way to allying his fears. But it was the stories of the locals that fully convinced him. They told stories of a kind and gentle person, willing to help strangers and neighbours alike. And yet they did not act as if they were brainwashed- in their eyes Marie was certainly not perfect.

And so, when they bumped into a patrol in old precinct, Shagileo happily stepped out to announce that he was safe and sound. To his surprise, the fellow shot him.

May rushed forwards and dragged her father out of harm's way. In an effort to defend them all Marie grabbed a near-by brick and threw it at the guard heading towards them. Knocking him straight out, she then reached forward and grabbed his weapon- it might come in useful later.

Luckily the wound was only superficial, but it looked as if it wasn't going to be as easy as they thought to get back into the city. The only thing that puzzled them was why Shagileo was being shot at as well as the others.

"Surely they recognise me?!" Shagileo said, "even those fellows outside the gate knew who I was!"

It was then that May remembered her dream. She told her father about it in as much detail as she could remember. It was when she described the man underneath the mask that it really got a reaction.

"Oh my god" Shagileo shouted, jumping to his feet and then falling back down as he remembered the danger they were in, "It's Khashoggi! He's behind all this! I don't quite believe it, but could he really be Craig?"

It didn't take long for May to hack into the cyber mainframe using some micro-transceivers she found in the old precinct. What she overheard then turned them all cold.

"He's out to get all of us" she said, "He's telling the guards to destroy all evidence of us. I think he plans to take over the world!"

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That night brought restless sleep. They took turns to take watch. But May's sleep was full of dreams once more. This time she dreamt of a shining star. It shone bright, then suddenly a blanket fell across it blocking out the light. When she awoke she felt cold and wet.

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No-one needed to interpret this dream for her. They all knew the significance of the shining star. And so, salvaging a bicycle from the wreckage, they peddled their way to Lake Geneva.


	26. Chapter 25

Chapter 25: A Shining Star Shows the Way

When they reached Lake Geneva an amazing site came to their eyes. There, on the edge of the lake, stood a statue. It glimmered in the sunlight, washed clean by the water. It was their guiding star, the one to freedom all those years ago.

And so our heroine stood beneath the statue, waiting for her sign. Yet none came.

And so she began to sing. The words came to her, clear and true:

"It's Saturday night and I'm home alone....."

As she sang something amazing happened. The ground itself began to shake. The base of the statue began to crumble and a piece fell off.... revealing behind it a guitar.

"You mean that thing was there all the time?!" Shagileo commented.

"It would appear so" May replied.

As May played Marie set up the system so that it blasted the power of rock into every stadium on Planet Rock. Soon the whole world was rocking together with the same song. The universe began to sing as one. Pictures were beamed to every household of their president and his daughter rocking infront of the symbol of freedom. And so Craig's lies floundered and were destroyed, along with his plans of world domination. And the cosmos is rocking still!


End file.
